2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ: a flagship SUV for the 21st century

With the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ now in showrooms, the SUV that changed buyers’ idea of luxury vehicles is at it again.

Just as there was a luxury SUV or two that predated the 1999 Cadillac Escalade, there are battery-electric SUVs that predate the 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ. But none offer what this all-wheel-drive, full-size, luxury SUV does: a GM-estimated 460 miles of range, the most of any SUV.

But choosing which SUV to buy is more than a matter of range, and in that, Cadillac’s newest flagship SUV succeeds. The Escalade IQ is merely the latest in a long heritage of iconic Cadillacs, sharing its attributes of generous proportions, opulent finishes, and substantial power.

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The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ’s style is a dazzling mix of the iconic Escalade and Cadillac’s EV design language. It’s intoxicatingly lavish and modern, wearing the most aerodynamic outfit ever fitted to a Cadillac SUV.

And it’s sizeable, measuring 224.3 inches long and 94.1 inches wide with mirrors extended.

Under the metaphorical "hood"

Cadillac employs the same EV architecture used for the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Hummer H1T. Given the weight of its GM cousins, particularly the Hummer’s 9,460 pounds, the Escalade IQ will not be a featherweight EV. Cadillac placed an electric motor at both ends, giving the SUV standard all-wheel drive.

Coursing through the Escalade IQ’s 24-inch wheels is 750 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque, which is more than even the Cadillac Escalade V. It’s good for a 0-60 mph run of less than 5 seconds, although only in Velocity Max mode. Most of the time, you’ll get 680 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque. The Escalade IQ is also capable of towing up to 8,000 pounds should you need it.

The Escalade IQ's 200-kWh Ultium battery pack is capable of adding up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes using a DC fast charger. Otherwise, figure 15 miles of range per hour of charge time using a 240-volt outlet.

Opulence awaits inside

All three rows offer adult-sized legroom, but it’s the second row that you’ll covet the most as a passenger.

There, you’ll find the optional Executive Second-Row Seating Package, which fits tray tables, dual 12.6-inch-diagonal infotainment screens, a rear control screen, dual wireless phone charging pads, USB-C and HDMI ports, massaging seats, and headrest speakers.

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A panoramic fixed glass roof spans the first and second rows, enhancing the Escalade IQ's feeling of spaciousness, while optional power opening and closing doors prove incredibly indulgent.

Of course, the front row proves just as spectacular, with a pillar-to-pillar 55-inch LED screen that uses Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon technology and incorporates a number of Google apps. And what would a luxury SUV be without a killer sound system, like the 40-speaker AKG Studio Reference audio system?

Should you come across the need to carry cargo, there’s 23.7 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 119.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. That’s in addition to the 12.2 cubic foot frunk, which can comfortably carry two golf bags.

Final thoughts

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is truly a flagship for a new age, one that delivers all of the benefits of a Cadillac without the environmental impact that comes from internal combustion engines. Yet it remains true to the essence of the marque, providing an over-the-top mix of pampering and power that few vehicles of any kind provide.

The 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ is now in showrooms starting at $129,990.

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